Monday, Apr 29, 2013
DUBAI (Zawya Dow Jones)--Passenger traffic through the Dubai International airport reached a record high in March as Emirates Airline and Flydubai launched increased flights to Eastern Europe, Dubai Airports said on Monday.
The airport, which has ambitions to become the world's busiest hub, registered 5.8 million passengers last month, up 20.6% on year. Traffic in the first three months of the year was 16.4 million, up 15.6% on the corresponding period last year.
Eastern Europe was the fastest-growing market, after Emirates launched new services to Poland and Flydubai to Macedonia, followed by the Asia Pacific region, Dubai Airports said.
"We have had a very successful first quarter highlighted by record growth and the opening of the world's first purpose built A380 facility," Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, said in an emailed statement.
The airport also recorded 31,713 aircraft movements in March, up 8.3% year-on-year, while movements in the first quarter reached 91,130, up 5.9% compared to the same period last year. Cargo volumes also performed strongly in March, up 14.7% year-on-year to 213,248 tons.
Dubai International become the world's second busiest airport for international passenger traffic in 2012, behind London's Heathrow, Dubai Airports said last month citing the latest figures published by Airports Council International.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
29-04-13 0750GMT
